Dust flux, Vostok ice core

Two dimensional phase space reconstruction of dust flux from the Vostok core over the period 186-4 ka using the time derivative method. Dust flux on the x-axis, rate of change is on the y-axis. From Gipp (2001).

Saturday, June 11, 2016

Train (station) in vain

Zhengzhou is a rail hub in central China. It sits at the intersection of two of the busiest high-speed train networks in the country. The train has become such a mainstay of life here, that people don't think much of commuting a couple of hundred km--and many take day trips of over a thousand km.

But it may be that the high-speed rail system is overbuilt. Recently (last Tuesday), I took a short trip to Xuchang. I left at high rush hour. Last year, the station would have been pretty busy at this time of day. This year, not so much.

Looking towards the main entrance.

The departures level viewed from the food concourse.

Technically, the system works wonderfully well. But I can't help wonder if maybe too much of it has been built.